More than 120 Student ACA (SACA) members gathered Sept. 7-9 in Milwaukee, Wis., for the 2018 SACA Leadership Conference, an annual event promoting leadership development and community building. “The Leadership Conference is the place where it all seems to come together, where attendees not only learn how to be better leaders and better future healthcare providers, but also how to be great colleagues and even friends,” writes student Jocelyn Tierney, SACA national vice chair. Highlighting the event was a diverse line-up of the profession’s leaders, who shared their insights on leadership and personal development.

Last month, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Board of Governors elected N. Ray Tuck, Jr., DC, of Blacksburg, Va., as the association’s new president. He assumes the helm after a period of major transition at ACA, highlighted by key projects intended to better position the association to respond to challenges and opportunities and to leverage the talents and expertise of its members. ACA Blogs editor Annette Bernat sat down with Dr. Tuck recently to discuss the impact the recent changes have made on ACA’s operations as well as its ability to meet members’ needs.

Anticipation for the McAndrews Leadership Lecture at this year’s National Chiropractic Leadership Conference (NCLC 2018) was heightened by the mystery surrounding the title of the talk – “Grilled Cheese, Candles and Beer”—and what it could possibly have to do with leadership. Presenter Stephen M. Perle, DC, MS, a respected author, journal editor, lecturer and professor of clinical sciences at the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic, not only served some valuable lessons based on his personal experiences and observations on leading “from the middle,” in the end he gave all gathered plenty to chew on.

While the content of Dr. Stephen Perle’s 2018 McAndrews Leadership Lecture has been intentionally kept under wraps, the title, “Grilled Cheese, Candles and Beer,” has raised a lot of questions (and a few eyebrows, frankly). In this Q&A with Dr. Perle, a respected academic and researcher, ACA Blogs tries to find some answers. To get the whole story, plan on attending the National Chiropractic Leadership Conference in person to hear Dr. Perle’s presentation on Saturday, March 3. 

The key to effective leadership is to speak to people’s “why.” For example, if you tell someone to attend NCLC, they will undoubtedly ask you for the details of the event. Normal. But the thought process doesn’t end there for them. Once you give them the “what” and “how” of the trip, they will filter this information through their “why” and determine if it is something worth doing...Leadership isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. Meaning, you will encounter people at all stages of willingness to engage and explore more, but it is your job to find them there.